Love's a B
by KnightOfSix
Summary: Sometimes there's a happy ending...even if you're the most feared mercenary in the land. Rated T for language. Majorly ooc Marisa and Eirika but I think I nailed the others.
1. Coming out

Disclaimer: In the jungle there is a magical monkey that screeches every time someone is born, by the time that monkey stops screeching I will still not own Fire Emblem.

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Marisa's back slammed into the ground. Her shamshir flew out of her usually skilled hand only to plunge into the soil a few feet from her. The foot of her opponent, clad in a rather heavy boot, settled on her stomach, pinning her to the ground. The tip of his sword came to rest at the base of her throat. She looked up the sword up his arm to his face, ridiculous hat and all. He smiled down at her.

"I win," he said with a lopsided grin. Joshua lifted his foot off of Marisa's stomach and bent down to help her up.

"Thanks," She said as she brushed the dirt from her back then accepted a canteen of water from her friend.

Anyone else in camp would have fallen for that monotone 'thanks' but Joshua was different. He hadn't been afraid to get to know the heart behind the sword and Marisa had opened up to him. The benefit was a great friendship; the consequence was that Joshua wasn't as easily fooled by Marisa's aloof façade.

He grasped her by the shoulders and looked her strait in the eyes. "Tell me what's wrong."

"What?"

"Contrary to popular belief your not made of stone, your upset. Now tell old Joshie what the problem is."

Marisa placed a firm hand on Joshua's chest and pushed him well out of her personal space, "The problem is none of _Joshie's_ business."

Joshua crossed his arms over his chest and tried to look offended. "I'm your friend, I'm making it my business."

"Well don't!" Marisa snapped.

Joshua put his hands up in surrender, "Easy! I'm not forcing you to do anything. I just want to help."

A dejected look formed on Marisa's face, "You can't."

Marisa heard the footsteps, her muscles relaxed as Joshua wrapped his arms around her shoulders. She leaned into him and rested her head on his chest.

"I don't feel anything." Marisa mumbled.

"Huh?"

"I don't feel anything!" She yelled, "Not when you hold me like this, not even the few times Gerik and I have kissed! I don't feel the way women are supposed to feel around men!" Marisa was crying into Joshua's coat.

"Maybe none of the men here are right for you." Joshua said softly. Determined to help her even as she broke his heart.

"It's not just that!" Marisa sobbed. "Whenever she's around me I start sweating, I stumble over my words, and my feet. My face flushes, my heart races and I feel like my stomach is doing back flips!"

Joshua didn't say anything. He stepped back from Marisa and gave her a moment to collect herself.

"I think I'm gay," she finally said.

"You think?" Joshua said.

"No, I am," Marisa hung her head.

Joshua walked over to her and gave her a firm clap on the shoulder. "Congratulations!"

"What!" Marisa stared at him like he was crazy.

"Coming out takes a lot of courage, not that you've ever lacked that. And I frankly don't care if your gay, you're my friend and I wouldn't abandon you over something so trivial." Joshua flashed his 'lady killer' grin.

"Thanks, Joshua. You're a great friend." She said softly. "If you tell anyone I said that!" She said a moment later, jabbing his chest with her finger.

"Ha ha, I know I know you'll kill me. So who is it, the girl that warms the heart of the Crimson Flash?"

"Tana," Marisa said the name with such uncharacteristic tenderness that Joshua did a double take.

"The princess of Frelia?" Joshua asked.

"Yes. Romantic isn't it the wayward, deadly mercenary and the beautiful, kind princess." Marisa said bitterly.

"Yeah it is. So, you want me and my boys to give you a hand?" Joshua started flexing his biceps.

Marisa was thunderstruck. "What! No you idiot!"

"Ya lost me."

"She can't know nobody can, think of what this would do to her reputation!"

"I think your overreacting."

"Joshua," Marisa looked at him pleadingly, "Please don't tell her."

"Okay, I promise I won't."

"Thank you Joshua." Marisa said. "Well I'll see you later." She gave him a casual wave goodbye as she walked back to camp.

Joshua sighed, "Is that what love is helping someone, working to see them happy even at your expense." Joshua mused over that for a few moments. "Love's a bitch."


	2. The plot thickens!

Marisa was casually strolling around camp, munching on an apple. As she strolled by she saw Seth sitting with Eirika, Iness and Vanessa flirting. She nearly choked when she saw Ewan sitting with Amelia.

"Did you know that in some cultures gods of death eat apples?" A sweat voice chimed from behind her.

Not only did Marisa spit out the apple she nearly fell in to Gerik's tent and she hadn't seen Tethys all day so that was a risk that was just not worth taking.

"Sorry, are you okay." The cobalt-haired princess rushed over to Marisa's side. Tana held Marisa by her shoulders to steady her.

Marisa's whole body was on fire. "Uh…Y-yes! Princess I'm perfectly all right. Now…h-how can I help you?" Marisa barley sounded coherent as she stumbled over her words.

"Oh, I just saw you walking and wanted to make small talk"

"With the likes of me?"

"Whatever do you mean? If this is about social class the I don't give a wyvern's tail!"

"_She's beautiful, smart, adorably clumsy, and to top it all of she doesn't care about social class. Could she be any more perfect?"_ Marisa thought.

"Also, I wanted to thank you" Tana continued.

"For what?"

"Two things. First, for fighting with us."

Marisa was stunned. "I'm a mercenary it's my job to fight."

"Still I know you get a choice. Secondly, You saved my life on the battlefield the other day."

"Huh?"

"There was an archer hidden in the forest, you killed him with one swing before he could even draw the arrow he was aiming at me, it was amazing! I've never seen swordsmanship like yours before, Marisa!"

Marisa fought not to blush at the exuberant praise from her hearts desire, no less. "Oh, well it's nothing he was just another enemy on the battlefield I wasn't really paying attention to where he was looking. With your pardon, my lady, I think I shall take my leave." _"I am such a liar!"_ Marisa thought, kicking herself mentally as she ran. She had given priority to the death of any enemy who threatened Tana.

Tana slowly plodded back to her tent. Once inside she flung herself down on her cot and screamed into her pillow. "I'm such an idiot!" She lay there sobbing, caught off guard when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Her roommate asked in her delicate, diplomatic tone.

Tana lifted her head to look at her teal haired friend. "Oh, Eirika I'm such a moron"

"I can see you think that, but why? Did you talk to her?"

"Yes, well no umm…"

Eirika cocked an eyebrow.

"I spoke with her but I didn't tell her."

Eirika's eyebrow continued its assent.

"But she totally knows!" Tana's voice became choked with tears. "And she's totally freaked out". Tana started crying again.

Eirika held her best friend close. "It's okay. If you didn't tell her how does she know?"

"She just knows! You should have seen how fast she got out of there when I thanked her for saving me. And she gets all nervous around me too!"

Eirika gently patted Tana's shoulder as she cried. "Marisa doesn't seem like one to take praise gracefully. Despite the fact that she's so aloof you probably embarrassed her. What did she actually say when you thanked her, or did she just turn and leave?" Eirika was already forming a contingency plan to kick Marisa's ass if the latter was the case.

"She said that the archer was just another enemy and she wasn't really paying attention to where he was aiming." Tana's voice was already beginning to sound steadier. "Then she got all formal and left really quickly."

"That's a normal response, if you had thanked Ford or Amelia for saving you they would have said the same thing."

"I know but I guess I also built this fantasy in my head that she had saved _me_, not just killed another enemy." Tana said forlornly.

"Well what do you expect? She's a sword for hire not your knight in shining armor." Tana looked at Eirika with a pained expression in her eyes. "But she could be if you got out there and talked to her."

"She spends so much time with that Joshua guy, and they seem really close."

"Now you're just looking for ways to avoid doing anything. Joshua is her only friend, you should probably talk to him."

"What if he freaks out when he finds out that I'm gay?"

"You thought I was going to freak when you came out to me and I was okay." Eirika pointed out.

"I also remember when Iness found out and he nearly threw a chair at me." Tana had never been so afraid her brother.

"Trust me, I see a lot more of me in Joshua than your brother." Eirika looked Tana right in the eye, "Have I ever let you down?"

"No" Tana reluctantly admitted. "I'll talk to Joshua if you think that's what's best.

"Good, because it is" Eirika said smugly.

Tana threw a pillow at her.

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AN: Hope you're enjoying the story! Sorry about the ooc-ness. Anyway this entire story was inspired by Hitokun. (Please tell me someone caught the Death Note reference.)


	3. The mercenary and the princess

Joshua was resting under a tree; his hat was pulled down over his face to keep the sun out of his eyes.

"Um…excuse me, Joshua."

Joshua pulled his hat of his face and nearly had a heart attack when he saw his visitor. "Princess Tana, what can I do for you?"

"_Damn it! Why me?"_ Joshua thought.

"Ahem, you consider yourself a ladies man, right."

"Yeah _(didn't see that one coming)_ why?"

"I know someone who needs your help."

"Your brother's doing fine with Vanessa." Joshua said. Tana shifted uncomfortably. "Or do you need my help with the ladies?"

"What!" Tana's complexion went ten times darker than usual. She sighed in defeat, "Yes."

"Jezz this is the second coming out congratulations I've had to give today." Joshua laughed. Tana looked confused.

"Never mind. So who's the target?" Joshua sat up suddenly enthusiastic.

"Well actually I didn't come here because of the ladies man rumor, but because you seem to be the only one in camp who gets along with Marisa." Tana replied. "Not that I don't think you're a ladies man." She tacked on.

"Love's a fucking bitch whore!" Joshua mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing!" Joshua sprung to his feet, "Come with me." He led Tana to the outskirts of camp. As the walked over the crest of a steep, grassy hill Tana saw Marisa lying there with her eyes shut.

"_She's so beautiful,"_ Tana thought as she watched the wind tousle that gorgeous pink hair. Then reality checked back in. "Wait Joshua I can't do this!"

"Sure you can, you said you wanted my help and this is my help" Joshua replied.

"But she's asleep, I don't want to disturb her." Tana persisted. Her pleas fell upon deaf ears.

"Hey Rissy!" Joshua called.

"Call me Rissy again and I'll cut your throat out. " Marisa answered without so much as twitching.

"What and traumatize the lovely lay I brought with me?" Joshua countered with a grin.

Marisa's eyes snapped open, as she bolted upright, "You didn't" To Marisa's horror there was Tana standing with him. "Joshua," She seethed.

Joshua put his hands up in defense, "Easy! She came to me!"

Marisa froze, "What?"

"Would someone please tell me what's going on!" Tana interjected.

Joshua looked at them both, "Sometimes there is a happy ending. I'll leave you two alone."

Marisa shifted as Joshua disappeared over the crest of the hill. She looked at Tana, a rare smile gracing her lips. She gently patted the patch of grass next to her.

Tana walked over and sat by her.

"I don't really know how to explain this… Marisa began.

"I love you." Tana interrupted.

Marisa swallowed; she couldn't stand Tana's eyes looking deep into hers with such devotion. She gently placed her hand under Tana's chin, the other grasping the back of her neck. With a blush to match her hair she slowly leaned in and kissed Tana.

Tana's eyes went wide as her world exploded then realigned. She buried her hands in Marisa's hair, and wanted nothing more than to stay like this. She moaned softly as Marisa ran her tongue over her lips and eagerly opened her mouth. For such an aloof person Marisa was an amazing kisser! They stayed like that for a while, tongues dancing together. Finally with their lungs screaming for air they parted.

"Wow" Tana sighed.

Marisa smiled, "I love you too Tana."

"I can kinda tell," Tana giggled. "I didn't mean to interrupt your nap, you can go back to sleep if you want."

Marisa wrapped her arms around Tana, holding her tight. "Only if you stay with me."

Tana nodded. They both lay back, snuggled up in each other's arms.

Meanwhile Joshua was walking back though camp when he passed Eirika leaning against a tree.

"Love's a bitch." She said.

"Indeed it is." He replied as they started walking together.

"That blonde cleric likes you." Eirika said.

"Yeah and that Seth guy's got the hots for you, well I guess that doesn't matter to you."

"Nah, I'm not picky"

"Go both ways huh?"

"Yep"

"Lucky, you get twice the fun."

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AN: Phew first story done. God this pairing kicks ass! (I'm such a yuri fangirl). Anyway expect more stories staring the crimson flash and the princess of Frelia from me. I hope you enjoyed it. And thank you to Memory of Alessa for giving me my first review on this site! XD


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